1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating immune and inflammatory diseases, cancer, and viral infections.
2. Discussion of the Background
Inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, restenosis, transplant rejection, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and glomerulonephritis, are characterized by the expression of certain types of surface proteins which mediate cell adhesion. For example, in the case of transplant rejection, expression of cellular adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1, ELAM, or VCAM-1 is responsible for initiating the attachment of leukocytes and/or lymphocytes to post-capillary venules with subsequent migration into involved tissues. By interfering with this process, for example, it is possible to ameliorate local inflammation, cell proliferation and the immune response to inhibit the rejection response (see, e.g., Sadahiro, M. et al. Am. J. Pathology, 142:675-683 (1993)). A similar role has been suggested for VCAM-1 in the initiation of atherosclerosis or restenosis (Cybulsky, M. I. et al, Science, 251:788-799 1991)). Similar processes contribute to the inflammation observed in other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and reperfusion injury.
Although there are treatments available for many of such inflammatory diseases, none is entirely satisfactory. Thus, there remains a need for methods and compositions for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In particular, there remains a need for methods and compositions for treating rheumatoid arthritis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, restenosis, transplant rejection, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and glomerulonephritis. There also remains a need for methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer and viral infections.